Known uses

"Neville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face, stiff as a board. Neville's jaws were jammed together so he couldn't speak. Only his eyes were moving, looking at them in horror."

Etymology

The root of this curse's incantation seems to be the Latin words petra, "rock", and totus, "whole" or "entire".

Also, pertrificus seems to come from the word "petrify", meaning to turn into stone, or describes a manner in which someone takes on the characteristics of a stone. Totalus likely comes from "Total", meaning complete or wholly. Following this, the spell likely means, entirely petrify.

Behind the scenes

When Dumbledore immobilizes Harry, the latter says, in wondering how it could have happened, that it was a Freezing Charm (Dumbledore had done so wandlessly and nonverbally). However, less than a few pages later, after Dumbledore is killed, he notes that the Full Body-Bind had lifted.

In the films and video games, this spell occasionally appears blue, white or purple.

When Hermione uses this on Neville a mist-like effect issued from her wand and ther was a faint white flash around his body before the curse took effect.

The only instants in the film where a victim's arms and legs are snaped together is when Hermione used it on Neville and when Draco used it against Harry on the train, any othe time it was used like when Neville used it on a Death Eater and when Hermione used it on Antonin Dolohov they were either immobilized with their hand together or they were spread eagled